Gaseous fuel



Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STA iron-n HARRIS, or cnnvnmnn, OHIO;

GASEOUS FUEL.

Ho Drawing.

This invention relates to gaseous fuels,

and more particularly to a gaseous fuel,

which, when used in combination with oxygen, is especially adapted for the purpose of cutting metals.

It is the general object'of the invention to produce a gaseous fuel which is relatively inexpensive, which will enable the cutting operation to be performed in a most eflicient manner, and with the use of a gas which is ordinarily readily obtainable.

I prepare a gaseous fuel by which the foregoing general object may be realized by saturating or impregnating artificial il luminating gas with ordinary commercial ether. The most convenient manner in which this saturation or impregnation, may be accomplished is by introducing into a cylinder containing about 200 cu. ft. of artificial gas, from one to two pounds. of commercial ether. When the delivery valve from such a tank is opened, the artificial gas, impregnated with the ether, will be supplied to the blowpipe and the latter may be operated with oxygen in the usual manner. When the ether is added to and. mixed with the artificial illuminating gas in the manner set forth hereinbefore, the resultant gaseous fuel will consist" of approximately 97 to 95 parts by volume of such gas, to approximately 2 to 5 parts by volume of ether vapor.

lhe advantage of my fuel mixture'is that the ether increases \the flame temperature and the heat units of the artificial gas, both of which are lower than in the case-of acetylene. that it lowers the igniting point of the illuminating gas which is high as compared,

with that of acetylene and other cutting gases, the mixture can be used with ordinary blowpipe tips, without danger of the flame being blown off such tips, as is the case where artificialgas is attem ted to be used without dilution with suc hydrocarbon as then ti s intended for burning illuminating s with special cups or the prevention of this blowing out or blowing ofi ofthe preheating flame. v

By the use of my invention,'-the artificial illuminating gas can now be used with the Furthermore, by reason of the fact heavier ave to be provided- Application filed December 6, 1923. Serial No. 678,808.

same facility as ordinary cutting gases, but at much less. cost and with greater efliciency.

Where one pound of ether is employed with a cylinder of gas, the resultant gas will realize all ofthe advantages set forth hereinbefore;-- where two pounds of ether are employed with a cylinder of gas, a correspending increase in flame temperature and heat units will be realized, with a corresponding' increase in the speed of cutting,

andthe igniting. point will be further lowered, thus'insuring the maintenance of the flame at the blowpipe'tips without liability of being'blown ofi'. Furthermore, with the higher limit or larger quantity of ether, the gas is particularly useful for cuttin heavy masses of metal or dirty metal wi great facility. I

While commercial or ethyl ether is preferred for admixture with artificial gas, because of its richness in carbon and hydrogen, my, invention contemplates the use of methyl ether, as well, for such admixture.

The artificial illuminating gas referred to herein is a coal gas of approximately the following composition:

Percentage by volume.

..Q 2 Illuminants 4 O 0.5 CO i H CH, N2

Havin" thus described what I c aimis':-

1. A cutting gas consisting of agas having a high'igniting point, and having mixed therewith vapor of ether, said vapor constitutingnot materially less than 2% parts and not materially more than 5 parts by volume of the mixture.

V 6.5 my invention,

" 2. A cutting gas consisting essentially of artificial illuminating gas having mixed therewith vapor of ether, said vapor constituting not materially less than 2 parts q and not materially more than 5 parts by volume of the mixture.

In testimony whereof, hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN HARRIS. I 

